287 days

[chop0205]

let me start by saying this isn’t intended to cause the routine arguments and debates on Jongy. I just wanted to put it out there how impressive and resilient the young man is.
It is a lonely and isolated rehab path from an ACL. You need incredible discipline and mental fortitude to recover. I thought that the 287 days film captured this perfectly. I was incredibly impressed by the rehab staff and the support structures we have in place. Having done a knee myself, I can tell you that it’s a superhuman recovery from Jong. Have your opinion on his awareness or abilities, but never doubt his heart or determination.

Very proud of you Jongy, well done mate.

 

[MYOB]

We are so lucky to have the relationship with VU. I'm sure that helps with our injury management

 

[Mattdougie]

I dont think anyone has ever questioned his heart or effort.

Not even myself

I’d like to know why football(soccer) players in Europe’s big leagues seem to get back faster and have far less reoccurrence of knee injuries than AFL players do.

 

[dogwatch]

I dont think anyone has ever questioned his heart or effort.

Not even myself

I’d like to know why football(soccer) players in Europe’s big leagues seem to get back faster and have far less reoccurrence of knee injuries than AFL players do.

Good question if true.

First thing I'd want to know is if that is true of soccer generally or just Europe's big leagues. And how much of a difference is it - major or just marginal?

 

[Pugz89]

Ripper doco. The measure I use is how quick time goes while watching. 32 minutes of quality content. Kudos to the Dogs and all involved, done really well. I appreciated the cameos from Bob and Clay also.

 

[bobby2]

I dont think anyone has ever questioned his heart or effort.

Not even myself

I’d like to know why football(soccer) players in Europe’s big leagues seem to get back faster and have far less reoccurrence of knee injuries than AFL players do.

Good question. Here's a few possible contributing factors:
1. Contact sport. There's way more physical contact in footy, which increases the risk of all contact related injuries. Further to this, the types of contact in footy increase ACL risk. In footy, you're much more likely to get bumped/tackled near your thighs (wood bump on hannebery) or smothered near your knees (Jong injury) or bumped in midair, causing an awkward landing. All of these mechanisms risk knee injuries. In soccer, bumps are generally only at the level of the torso, while slide tackles are down around ankle level. Keep in mind that contact sport doesn't just increase injury risk. It also makes doctors advise a more conservative approach with rehab to minimise that increased risk.
2. Types of training required for each sport. Agility and lateral movements are even more important in soccer than footy, so soccer players may work harder on these attributes than footy players. Lateral movement training is a key part of ACL prevention. On the other hand, footy players may focus slightly less on agility and more on muscle bulk and strength in their upper bodies, which results in weight gain. More weight going through the knee joint increases the chance of injury.
3. Length of season. We generally think of an ACL as a 12 month injury in footy, because players don't return until the next season. This isn't because the injury actually takes 12 months. It's because the footy season only lasts 5 months (or 6 months including finals). If you injure your ACL in round 1, you won't be back within those 5 or 6 months. On the other hand, the EPL season lasts over 9 months, so you might be able to come back at the end of the season after doing your ACL at the start of the season.

 

[chop0205]

I dont think anyone has ever questioned his heart or effort.

Not even myself

I’d like to know why football(soccer) players in Europe’s big leagues seem to get back faster and have far less reoccurrence of knee injuries than AFL players do.

I’m not sure how popular it is but I remember Michael Owen returned in 2 months after using a cadaver graph. Significantly less trauma to the hamstrings. I remember thinking I wish I did that after tearing my hamstring for the 15th time after returning to running.

 

[bresker]

Michael Owen suffered badly from hamstring problems for the rest of his career. He was a shadow of the superstar player of 17.

A surprising number of soccer ACLs happen because players studs get caught in the turf as they turn. Soccer is less of an aerial game. and a player rarely jumps and twists simultaneously. If you go up for a header it’s more of an up & down motion and it’s easier to land on both feet. It’s not like launching for a mark.

There are still plenty of ACLs however.

 

[Next Waiting]

I thought the bit on the training field where Bevo told Jongy he'd be playing seniors again was interesting. Some of the things in Jongy's game they talked about, strengths/weaknesses areas for improvement give an insight into how the coaching staff were/had been assessing his game over the journey.

Perhaps the most important underlying weakness he's had is his tank, the ability to run at high intensity levels for sustained periods and his recovery from high intensity running. They talked about building his engine to the point where he can transition and spread with enough in the tank (ie without being gassed) to have an impact. Jongy also acknowledged that being gassed in the past affected his concentration and presumably as a result his decision making, general ability to get involved and possibly/probably skill execution.

The variety of disposal in his game was also touched on and he felt he'd improved there. Bevo acknowledged that hunting and contesting had always been an underlying strength of his game but was perhaps most pleased with increased capacity to cover ground, spread and transition.

It tallies with what many have observed and perhaps what the coaching staff are building and shaping him towards. Increase his tank thereby increase his capacity to spread and transition, maintain his concentration levels and his capacity for involvement. Continue to work on his disposal. He has an advantage over most opponents in terms of speed, is physically strong and is a willing and able competitor at ground level and in the air. His potential to get separation from opponents in a number of situations is greater than most and the capacity for repeat efforts at high intensity seems the desired objective.

 

[BEaston]

I thought the bit on the training field where Bevo told Jongy he'd be playing seniors again was interesting. Some of the things in Jongy's game they talked about, strengths/weaknesses areas for improvement give an insight into how the coaching staff were/had been assessing his game over the journey.

Perhaps the most important underlying weakness he's had is his tank, the ability to run at high intensity levels for sustained periods and his recovery from high intensity running. They talked about building his engine to the point where he can transition and spread with enough in the tank (ie without being gassed) to have an impact. Jongy also acknowledged that being gassed in the past affected his concentration and presumably as a result his decision making, general ability to get involved and possibly/probably skill execution.

The variety of disposal in his game was also touched on and he felt he'd improved there. Bevo acknowledged that hunting and contesting had always been an underlying strength of his game but was perhaps most pleased with increased capacity to cover ground, spread and transition.

It tallies with what many have observed and perhaps what the coaching staff are building and shaping him towards. Increase his tank thereby increase his capacity to spread and transition, maintain his concentration levels and his capacity for involvement. Continue to work on his disposal. He has an advantage over most opponents in terms of speed, is physically strong and is a willing and able competitor at ground level and in the air. His potential to get separation from opponents in a number of situations is greater than most and the capacity for repeat efforts at high intensity seems the desired objective.

That was definitely the most interesting part of the movie to me. Really liked the way Bevo directed that conversation. Highlighted how far he had come and the positives of what he had done so far (pre-injury) and then reiterated what the team needed from Jongy by placing an importance on him to get to back to where he was previously. Think it was just perfect how Bevo nailed that positive reinforcement while providing some motivating drive.